Saxer Lücke + a bit of Liechtenstein
One of the last stops on our week-long Swiss trip was the Saxer Lücke mountain pass, and in retrospect I am very glad I included it in my itinerary. This pass is located at 1649m above sea level and lies on the border between the cantons of Sankt Gallen and Appenzell Innerrhoden in the Alpstein mountain range. Directly above it are the curving peaks of the Chrüzberg (2065 m), for which photographers come from all over Europe.
Route to Saxer Lücke
According to the initial information we had googled, it looked like we were going to skip the hike up Saxer Lücke right off the bat. Everywhere I read about a several-hour hike, during which it is necessary to climb an elevation gain of 1300 meters. This alone suggests that it's not exactly a piece of cake, and we really didn't want to do something like that with Donut in the carrier.
So I kept looking... and found it! We'll have to go the same way there and back, but what the hell... So, to give you an overview, here are the starting points:
- from Brülisau - this is the harder option. From Brülisau you take the cable car up to Hoher Kasten and then continue along the ridge to Saxer Lücke. From there you have to descend into the valley to Bollenwees and take the circuit back to Brülisau. All in all, it throws up some 16 km and definitely not easy terrain, so watch out! Prices for the cable car and timetables to Hoher Kasten can be found here (as of 2024, single trip for adults CHF 28, return CHF 40). Of course, you can also walk, but that will probably turn into a multi-day affair.
- from Frümsen - our shorter version. We start from the town of Frümsen, where you can park for free at the lower cable car station. In google navigation type Frümsen, Luftseilbahn Staubern. Tickets are bought at the ticket machine, with one-way tickets for an adult costing CHF 20 and return tickets costing CHF 40. More info on prices and timetables on the official website. From the top of the Staubern, it's about 3 kilometres to the Saxer Lücke. You will then have to return by the same route.
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Our journey
Okay, let's get a little more specific. We leave the car in the parking lot of the Frümsen cable car and take a moment to decide whether it makes sense to go up at all. Looking up, all we can see is fog... otherwise, nothing at all. We don't even know if it's raining, if the sun is shining, or what's going on. Well... at worst we'll go up for 18 hundred, have a coffee and come back down, in short, a nice low cost family trip :D But we're here, so we'll just take our chances and hope that the fog will clear. We buy return tickets at the machine for 36 CHF for one (2021). You can pay by card or cash, but beware, the machine does not accept any discount cards, student or regional. So you only choose between two fares - child under 16 or adult. Even so, this is one of the cheaper cable cars in Switzerland, so you don't have to be sad.
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The cable car is a cable car and departs every 20 minutes in high season. If it's a busy day or hour, it runs more often, but the minimum for an off-schedule departure is three people. And we're two... and a half... so we have to wait because we're all alone. Otherwise, we can fit 8 people in the cab and it takes about 8 minutes to get up there. It's a quick one. Interestingly, this is the first cable car in the world to run on solar power.
At the Berggasthaus Staubern mountain hut you can have a snack, go to the toilet or even spend the night. All info about opening times or room prices here. Next to the building, you will come across a signpost and surprisingly follow the sign with the name "Saxerlücke 1 h 20 min". The other direction would take you along the ridge to Hoher Kasten (see longer option). Plus there's a great view from here, where you can see all the way to Liechtenstein in good visibility, but unfortunately we can't see much when we arrive, so we don't linger too long and just head straight off...
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The route to Saxer Lücke is not particularly long, just expect it to be quite rocky. There are a few sections with railings at the beginning, nothing too bad, but definitely good trekking shoes and appropriate clothing to bring. The fog recedes only very slowly, more like it lazily rolls down the valley and now and then reveals something of the valley. Occasionally one of the lakes peeks out - Sämtisersee or Fälensee, not both at once of course :) Occasionally it stops on a rock overhang, which brings back memories of the wonderful Italian Seceda. The fog has something to it, yeah, but I'd still rather see today's destination with my own eyes, not just imagine it under a layer of clouds...
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The Chrüzberg mountain peaks will only appear at the very end of the route, and then only for a few minutes, but in all their glory! We realise that we are incredibly lucky as soon as the peaks disappear again in a misty haze. But at least a short marvelling and a few quick photos will come out of it.
...moment of tension and...
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Here you can also take a trip to the Bollenwees and Lake Fälensee. The trail zigzags down into the valley, extending the route by about a kilometre in one direction. Most people go there with a view to having lunch at the Berggasthaus Bollenwees, where they have the famous rösti. But we are already heading back to the cable car station. The valley has finally cleared up nicely, so we can see cows grazing and even the surface of Lake Bodensee in the distance. All in all, I would say that as a half-day trip this walk to Saxer Lücke is absolutely ideal, even at the price of the lottery of whether you will see anything at all :) Also great was the fact that we met about five people the whole time, ideal. It was only on the way out that we ran into bigger groups at the Staubern hut, lunchtime...
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Liechtenstein
For this article about Saxer Lücke, I'd like to add Liechtenstein, simply because it's a stone's throw away. From Frümsen it is not even 5 km to the Liechtenstein border, so this visit is just the ticket. In July, however, we preferred Sankt Gallen, and Liechtenstein came up when we returned from our September Italian roadtrip. Either way, both served as a starting point for the overnight crossing home - because of Donut, we usually plan longer overnight trips.
Liechtenstein in points:
- one of the European ministates
- it has an area of only 160 km² and a population of about 39,000
- the state structure is that of a principality
- the capital is Vaduz, the largest is Schaan
- the official language is German
- payment is in Swiss francs (CHF)
- their number plates are black
Twice we came from the south and followed the Swiss-Liechtenstein border. Twice, we saw a breathtaking castle on a hill right off the road. But the second time, we had more time to search... Searching is a bit of an overstatement in the case of Liechtenstein, when there's absolutely nowhere to get lost. You turn a corner, drive a few kilometres and just stumble upon what you want to stumble upon. So, ladies and gentlemen, Gutenberg Castle in the southernmost village of Balzers. I'd say it's much more beautiful from a distance, but even up close it's not entirely unrewarding as it's one of the best preserved castles here. You can park for free at the pond on Rietstrasse and then walk past the vineyards straight to Gutenberg. The courtyard is free to enter, but tours will probably be by appointment only, you can check the official website.
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Vaduz Castle was built on a rocky plateau directly above the town (more like a village), and is now the official residence of the Liechtenstein princely family. If you've been wanting to take a tour, you'll be disappointed because it's only open to the public one day a year - on the Feast of the Assumption (Staatsfeiertag). Normally you can at least walk up to it and check it out from the outside, but on our visit the access road was under renovation.
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Well, that's all from our quick tour of Liechtenstein. I believe that much more time could be spent here, especially since the local landscape has that typical alpine character. For example, I'm putting the panoramic trail with the poetic name "Princess Gina's Way" in the "for later" category. Liechtenstein could be the right choice for you, even if you are a winter sports enthusiast. Among the renowned ski resorts are certainly Malbun or the slightly smaller Steg.
Where to stay?
I'll tell you where NOT to stay - in Liechtenstein. Prices here are even higher than in Switzerland, and that's saying something, isn't it... Plus, the choice is pretty poor. So where to choose accommodation if you want to visit both Saxer Lücke and Liechtenstein? Try this:
- cheaper: Flexy motel Buchs - accommodation with self-checkin and free parking, prices here start at about €96/night for a double room with bathroom; or Hotel Sonne, in which you can get a room for about €120 with a great breakfast
- more expensive: Lofthotel Wallensee or Säntis - das Hotel - both beautiful stylish places where you can not only relax, but also enjoy good food and great views
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